Agusta AW-129
The Agusta A129 Mangusta was the first attack helicopter designed and built entirely in Western Europe, developed by Italy without the American or Soviet design lineage that shaped most other attack helicopters of its generation. Its narrow fuselage and tandem cockpit, with the gunner seated ahead of the pilot, follow the same basic layout convention used by the American AH-64 Apache and AH-1 Cobra. It's armed with anti-tank missiles, rockets, and a chin-mounted cannon for a mix of anti-armour and close-support missions. Updated versions remain the primary attack helicopter of the Italian Army today.
Did you know?
The A129 Mangusta was the first attack helicopter designed and built entirely in Western Europe, without US or Soviet lineage.
Specifications
| Length | 12.3 m (40 ft) |
|---|---|
| Height | 3.4 m (11 ft) |
| Rotor diameter | 11.9 m (39 ft) |
| Persons on board | 2 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 4.5 t |
| Range | 300 NM (556 km) |
| Maximum speed | 152 kt (282 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 20,000 ft (6,096 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 15,500 ft (4,724 m) |
| Rate of climb | 2,008 ft/min (10.2 m/s) |
| Fuel capacity | 1,000 l |
| Engines | 2x Rolls-Royce Gem 2 |
| Units built | 60 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
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